Why Presuppositions Can Advance Science, While Dogma Hinders

A scientist’s presupposition can support productive inquiries, but when presuppositions slide into dogma science is harmed.

Photo by Eugene Zhyvchik on Unsplash. It’s completely natural for scientists, like the rest of us, to start an inquiry with presuppositions. It’s not only natural, it can help achieve great results. But, sometimes presuppositions become so firmly fixed that they transition to dogma. That’s when the trouble with doing good science begins.

It’s doubtful very many of us claim to have no presuppositions. We also assume that scientists hold presuppositions. But, when it comes to doing science, are presuppositions held by scientists good or bad? Here we suggest they can support…